Microwave ovens have become a principle form of heating food in a rapid and effective manner. Various attempts have been made to provide microwave food packages that produce effects associated with foods cooked in a conventional oven. Such packages must be capable of controlling the distribution of energy around the food item, utilizing the energy in the most efficient manner, and ensuring that the food item and the container provide a pleasant and acceptable finished food item.
To do so, many microwave food packages include one or more microwave energy interactive elements. A microwave interactive element may promote browning and/or crisping of a particular area of the food item, shield a particular area of the food item from microwave energy to prevent overcooking thereof, or transmit microwave energy towards or away from a particular area of the food item. Each microwave interactive element comprises one or more microwave energy interactive materials (“microwave interactive materials”) or segments arranged in a particular configuration to absorb microwave energy, transmit microwave energy, reflect microwave energy, or direct microwave energy in varying proportions, as needed or desired for a particular microwave heating container and food item. For example, portions of a food item may be shielded from microwave energy to prevent scorching or dehydrating, which may be particularly important for food items having a mass of greater than about 400 grams. Where surface browning and/or crisping is desired, a microwave energy interactive element that absorbs microwave energy may be used. Such an element becomes hot when exposed to microwave energy, thereby increasing the amount of heat supplied to the exterior of the food item.
Typically, the microwave interactive element is supported on a microwave inactive or transparent substrate for ease of handling and/or to prevent contact between the microwave interactive material and the food item. As a matter of convenience and not limitation, and although it is understood that a microwave interactive element supported on a microwave transparent substrate includes both microwave interactive and microwave inactive elements or components, such constructs may be referred to herein as “microwave energy interactive webs”, “microwave interactive webs”, or “webs”.
While some microwave interactive webs are available commercially, there remains a need for improved materials that provide the desired level of heating, browning, and/or crisping of a food item in a microwave oven.